Direct Hit
by BandGeek727
Summary: There was always more, it could always get worse... Takes place during The Slayer.


**AN:** So, baryonyx from the XR Fan Club read "Fear" and requested that I do a similar story with "The Slayer." This is what I came up with.

(looks over previous stories) Hmm... XR-pairing fic... NOS fic... XR-pairing fic... NOS fic... why am I seeing a pattern?  
Anyway... I re-wrote the ending because, let's face it, it would have been boring if I'd just narrated exactly what happened. And after "Fear," I had to be a little inventive about the way I described NOS's attack. ...I feel so cruel, though...  
I tried to give XR a little moment of glory. Plus he said he never gets a chance to use that attachment, so I figured that time was as good as any. ;)

Thanks to eez for looking this over for me; you were a great help!

This is for you, baryonyx. Thanks for being patient, and I hope you like it!

Enjoy.

* * *

The Crystallic Fusion Reactor towered over the surrounding buildings. Jolts of energy surged down its main lines, charging the air around it. XR stood at its base, staring up at it. He shivered; just watching it made him think of the energy vampire attacking, of energy being drained, being absorbed by _him…_

He gulped and scooted closer to Buzz. "You sure he's not going to be at the Miss Tradeworld finals?" he asked, glancing around anxiously.

"He'll go for the main reactor," Buzz said firmly, more to himself than XR, "and when he does, I'm gonna reverse the flux of the gravimetric particle inverter and suck all the power out of 'im!"

"My plan was to hit him while he's distracted by the swimsuit competition!" XR tried brightly, grinning and waggling his eyebrows. Buzz merely frowned at him. Apparently he didn't understand why XR was pushing so hard to watch a beauty pageant while there was a notorious villain to be captured.

Well gee, why should he, after all, who would choose watching beautiful girls in skimpy outfits flouncing down a runway over coming face-to-face with their worst nightmare and risk feeling incredible, all-consuming pain…

"Tell him he's a judge…" he offered weakly.

But he'd lost what little of Buzz's attention he'd had as an eerie, other-worldly sound reached them. Buzz's frown deepened; he glared upwards at no particular point.

"He's here."

XR didn't need Buzz to tell him that. He knew – oh, he knew. He'd recognize that chilling scream anywhere…

NOS-4-A2 circled the Crystallic Fusion Reactor once before landing on it, his claws clicking against it as he crawled down its side. He swooped down, glancing around until he spotted the main reactor. His wings retracted into his cloak as he floated towards it, arms outstretched.

Buzz tightened his grip on the particle inverter, gritting his teeth in concentration.

XR stayed close to him, shaking uncontrollably. He was sure that any moment now NOS would hear him, or sense him, and forget his tempting high-voltage meal to come after him instead, to watch him tremble in fright… to find food he could play with before he ate it…

But the energy vampire never changed his course. He reached the main reactor and in one swift move tore away its panel. He raised his hands in delight at the juicy morsel before him…

His plan was cut short – so, in fact, was Buzz's, as Savy leapt out from behind a set of pipes.

Buzz released the particle inverter in surprise. XR gasped. NOS-4-A2 turned and scowled as Savy landed in front of him.

"No, Savy!" Buzz shouted.

If she heard him, she ignored him. She held up the power absorption device, engulfing NOS-4-A2 in an energy field. NOS screeched and stumbled backwards, pushing out against the field. Buzz smirked; this just might work after all, Savy's energy field was clearly taking its toll on NOS-4-A2. It took a great deal of power to make the energy vampire lose his balance… he even looked weaker. Buzz tried to advance, but stopped as he noticed NOS-4-A2's randometer kicking in. It shot Savy's own attack back at her, hitting her with such force that she was knocked off her feet. She fell flat on her back, sliding to a stop a few feet away. She looked up in shock as NOS-4-A2 swooped over to her. Buzz charged forward.

"I'll cover your back!" XR called after him. "So far it's safe, no one attacking from back here, yell if you need me, all clear!" he rambled. Buzz didn't seem to notice. No one noticed him… no one ever noticed…

"I can make a coffee run," he pointed out lamely to no one.

Buzz tackled NOS-4-A2, pushing him straight into a pipe – which burst, sending up a cloud of blue smoke. Buzz lost his balance and stumbled, the energy vampire slipping from his grip. He cringed and pushed himself up. He glanced around… he couldn't see anything through all this smoke…

"Hunger…"

He heard the vampire's voice before he saw the glowing eyes, but by then it was too late to react.

NOS-4-A2 seized him, soaring up out of the smoke and knocking a stunned Savy down again. He rose steadily, Buzz struggling to get out of his hold.

"Must feed…"

NOS-4-A2 sank his teeth into Buzz's suit. XR cried out and automatically shielded his neck. Savy pushed herself up, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Suit… losing… power…" Buzz gasped. Jolts of energy coursed through his suit, flowing up through NOS-4-A2's fangs.

XR shook, frozen to the spot… He stared up at them, unable to look away, watching as Buzz's suit was drained… That was him, he was next…

"Mmmm, yes…" NOS-4-A2 pulled away with a satisfied smirk. "Yes!" he laughed maniacally, tossing Buzz down to the ground. He flew over Buzz and Savy, heading straight for XR…

XR gasped and held up his hands in protest. _No, no, not again…_He tried to move, but his feet seemed stuck to the ground…

Before he could react, the energy vampire swooped down and snatched him up, pinning his arms to his sides… XR looked down over his shoulder, watching the ground get further and further away, the cold air whipping over him, NOS's claws squeezing his arms, that vile laugh ringing through the night…

* * *

Three times now he'd been down this tunnel. Three times he'd had to go through this robot morgue. Although this time was different. This time he was being carried off to his doom. This time the tunnel was filled with the sinister red light of NOS-4-A2's wings. XR quickly decided he much preferred the tunnel when it was dark. The red filter made everything look eerie, almost evil… And it didn't help that it brilliantly illuminated the robot shells scattered across the floor. XR shivered; he couldn't help but see himself among them, cold and lifeless, drained, rusted, broken… 

"Nice flight, when does the beverage service start?" he chuckled nervously. NOS didn't laugh. No one ever did. What was the point of pretending? NOS knew he was afraid. Dropping all pretexts, he whined, "I get a last meal, don't I?"

"You _are_ the last meal," NOS informed him, laughing.

_Oh sure, he finds_ that _funny…_

"Oh, you don't wanna do that, you know airline food…" His forced laugh drowned in a frightened moan. Even he could only joke for so long.

* * *

NOS-4-A2 screeched in anticipation as they neared the end of the tunnel, ignoring XR's pathetic attempts to wiggle out of his grasp. At the tunnel's mouth, he spread his wings again, soaring down in a wide spiral until he was inches away from the floor and letting XR slide out of his arms. XR hit the ground feet-first with a sharp clank that echoed around the metal walls. He straightened up and stared at his captor, backing away in terror. The soft whirring of his treads sounded strangely out of place in the eerily silent room. 

"Now I will have my revenge," NOS-4-A2 declared. He hovered over XR, advancing slowly, savoring his prey's fear. "I'm going to drain your energy slowly, so that you feel every amp as it leaves your body. Then, as you're nearly offline…" He grabbed XR's helmet, scraping his claws against it. XR shuddered. "…I'll recharge you, and do it all over again! Aha ha ha ha!"

"Well, I have to admit, you've got this revenge thing down…" he mumbled flatly. He couldn't even make it _sound_ humorous.

NOS-4-A2 grinned; his fangs spun like drills. XR's eyes widened in horror. He didn't remember NOS being able to do that, _when did that happen?!?_

NOS took hold of XR and lifted him off his feet, his mouth open wide in a twisted grin. XR squirmed and waved his arms frantically, trying to get out of the energy vampire's grip without actually touching him. NOS-4-A2 pulled his victim closer, staring at him with manic interest, his eyes gleaming. With a panicked yelp XR abandoned all caution and grabbed NOS-4-A2's wrists, trying desperately to pry those clawed hands off him.

NOS-4-A2 let out a low, sinister laugh. His prey was pathetic… pathetic, and foolish for even attempting to resist him… He watched in satisfaction as his cold laugh paralyzed his prey… he drank in the fear in its eyes, reveled in his power over it… He couldn't wait any longer, he hungered for energy, for revenge, for his prey's suffering…

But no – he had to work slowly, make it last… too quick, and it would be too painless…

He placed his fangs against his prey, spinning them around, drilling them slowly into its body…

XR yelped as the energy vampire's fangs broke into his torso. They moved with maddening slowness, spinning and vibrating, twisting against him… it was awful, disgusting, disturbing… they drove deeper, finally piercing his engine…

XR cried out. NOS-4-A2 hadn't been kidding, he could feel every amp as it was ripped away from him… he moaned, shuddering in agony… this, this was torture, to _feel_ the life pulled out of him, piece by piece…

To say it was painful was an understatement… The pain seeped into his engine, coursing through his body, replacing his stolen energy. He gasped and bit his lip. His body shook under the stress of the drain. He felt the fangs push harder, driving deeper into him… He let out a small whimper.

The pain slowly overtook his senses. He lost all feeling in his feet… in his legs… in his hands… in his arms… He couldn't think, his mind went blank, all he was aware of anymore was the pain… And then, barely even that. All he could feel was a sharp twinge somewhere around his neck… he felt oddly detached from his body… like that body was no longer his…

And then even the twinge stopped.

NOS-4-A2 dropped him like he was an empty soda can, watching as he hit the floor with a clang. XR winced. Apparently he was still connected to his body. And that body was _sore_.

NOS-4-A2 glided off to another part of the room and returned with a charger unit. XR lifted his head weakly, blinking at the sight in front of him. Why did NOS have a charger unit? That just didn't make any sense…

Somewhere through the vast emptiness that had once been his thoughts, NOS-4-A2's words returned to him…

_I'm going to drain your energy slowly… then, as you're nearly offline… I'll recharge you… and do it all over again…_

XR moaned. He'd have to go through that again? No, no, he couldn't do it, he couldn't take it…

"No… no… please… don't…" he whimpered.

NOS-4-A2 grinned and set up the charger.

"Don't… please… just stop, don't… not again… I can't…"

NOS merely smirked, powering up the charger and rubbing the panels together...

XR shut his eyes tight as they filled with tears.

"Please…"

The energy vampire swooped down and slammed the panels against XR's chest.

XR shouted as thousands of volts suddenly coursed into him, making him jump, sending his system into shock. He leaned back, breathing deeply, trying to catch his senses, trying to come down from that jolt. He felt dazed, dizzy – and strangely exhausted…

But still, it wasn't so bad. He could feel his limbs, he could move again, he was even starting to think clearly…

_He could move…_

NOS-4-A2 tossed the charger aside and loomed over him again.

Beneath the fear and the panic and the pain and the dizziness, sheer survival instinct kicked in. He could move again, he could _do_ something about it… His body was fully charged again, and it wanted to fight back…

NOS-4-A2 was almost upon him. He had to move fast, had to get away… without thinking, he whipped out the hammer attachment in his hand and swung hard… The blow caught NOS-4-A2 on the side of the face, knocking the energy vampire off balance.

NOS screeched, blinking against the stars that had suddenly appeared in his range of vision. He staggered slightly. What was _that?_ Surely not the little one, it wasn't capable of putting up such a fight… He shook his head and forced his eyes to focus on their surroundings. He growled. Sure enough, his prey was making a desperate bid for freedom…

XR dragged himself across the floor, kicking and flailing as he made his way to the exit. He reached the edge of the room, just below that awful tunnel of death, and activated his jetpack, pushing off from the cold floor. He was flying, he was free… oh, how good it felt to be flying… He was halfway there, he was going to make it…

Something sharp pierced into his jetpack; it spluttered and shorted out… he felt himself being dragged down… He was slammed face-first onto the harsh concrete. NOS-4-A2 tore the jetpack off of him and turned him over, pressing him hard against the floor. He gripped XR's arms, his sharp claws digging in as much as they could.

"I must advise you not to try that again," he said, his voice an icy whisper.

XR stared up at the energy vampire in horror. He was angrier than XR had ever seen; his right eye was narrowed to a perfect red line – his mouth was pulled tight in a deep frown. XR gulped. What had he done… what was he thinking, there was no way he could escape… he'd just made the vampire mad, that wasn't smart…

NOS-4-A2 dug his claws into XR's service panel and ripped it clean off his chest. XR gasped… what was going on, what was he doing?

The energy vampire leaned over him again, his fangs spinning rapidly. XR stared up at them… then slowly looked over at his exposed engine… then shivered. NOS was trying to get a clean shot at him, to bypass the metal that covered his engine, to get straight to it… He groaned. _Why_ had he tried to escape, he'd just incited NOS's rage…

There was no hesitation this time; NOS-4-A2 sank his teeth directly into XR's engine, pushing them in as deep as they would go…

He shouldn't have been surprised. It shouldn't have been any great shock, at this point, that this attack was worse than any preceding it. There was always more, it could always get worse, there were always new ways to torment him…

But he was surprised, it was a shock; he'd never imagined an attack this way… He'd never known just what a difference that metal panel covering his engine would have made… Now NOS was _inside_ him, attacking him from within…

He shivered, letting out an anguished cry. His voice box turned it into a solid whine. The pain was rising to a fever pitch… he felt it coursing through him like it was a living, breathing being, tearing him apart from the inside… His eyes brimmed with tears… they slid down over his face as he sobbed freely…

He was losing all feeling again… his mind clouded… he could feel himself slipping away…

From a great distance, he could hear Buzz's voice, shouting something… he couldn't tell… and he heard a second voice, what sounded like a girl… but who owned that voice, he couldn't be sure…

He barely felt NOS-4-A2's teeth leave his engine… barely heard the energy vampire's trademark scream… was barely aware when someone lifted him gently off the floor… didn't notice someone else retrieve his jetpack and his service panel… it didn't register that he was being carried away, that he was out in the open air again… he didn't hear Buzz shout out an order… didn't see 42 in the distance…

Faintly, he could make out an engine starting up… a large engine… he couldn't tell what it was… but it wasn't his… his was vibrating softly…

He lost all consciousness, unaware that someone was watching over him…

* * *

Hope you enjoyed. 

Reviews and critiques welcome.


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